Multi-system circular knitting machine with needle cylinder and disc plate

ABSTRACT

A multi-system circular knitting machine with a needle cylinder and a disc plate, the cylinder and plate being adjustable toward and away from each other. The disc plate acts as a needle holder, there being a common supporting ring for the threaded guides of all knitting systems. The common supporting ring is connected to the upper part of the device so that it is shifted when the disc plate and the connected disc plate cam holder are shifted relative to the needle cylinder, but remains unchanged relative to the needle cylinder when the retarded sinking of the disc plate cam holder toward the cylinder cam holder is carried out.

t States Patent [1 1 [111 3,757,538 Martinetz Sept. 1 1, 1973 MULTI-SYSTEM CIRCULAR KNITTING 3,222,889 12/1965 Mishcon 66 28 MACHINE WITH NEEDLE CYLINDER AND 885,304 4/1908 Steber 66/19 DISC PLATE 3,491,556 1/1970 Mlshcon 66/28 X [75] Inventor: Johann Martinetz, Hechingen, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS G rma 404,093 1/1934 Great Britain.., 66/28 173] Assignee: Firma Meyer & Cie, i

. Primary Exammer.-Wm. Carter Reynolds Tmflmgen/Wuerttemberg, Germany Atwmey Arthur O Klein [22] Filed: Aug. 14, 1970 g 21 Appl. No.1 63,826 1 ABSTRACT A multi-system circular knitting machine with a needle 52 us. Cl 66 19, 66 66 28 cylinder and a disc plate the cylinder and Plate being i I /27 f adjustable toward and away from each other. The disc [51] Int Cl D04!) 9/06 D04) 15/54 plate acts as a'needle holder, there being a common [58] Fie'ld 66/28 141 19 54 supporting ring for the threaded guides of all knitting systems. The common supporting ring is connected to the upper part of the device so that it is shifted when [56] References Cited the disc plate and the connected disc plate cam holder are shifted relative to the needle cylinder, but remains UNITED STATES PATENTS unchanged relative to the needle cylinder when the rel80,250 7/1876 Marshall 66/27 X tarded inking of the disc plate cam holder toward the cylinder cam holder is carried out. :1 ar 2,428,230 9/1947 Lawson 66/28 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patenied Sept. 11, 1973 3,757,538

INVENTOR. J'ILann rmnmvsrz armam- MULTI-SYSTEM CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE WITH NEEDLE CYLINDER AND DISC PLATE This invention relates to multi-system circular knitting machine with a needle cylinder and a disc plate functioning as a needle holder, the needle cylinder and the disc plate being adjustable toward and away from each other. The machine also includes a common support ring for the thread guides of all the knitting systems.

Known circular knitting machines with two needlebeds in the form of a needle cylinder and a disc plate or rib plate have the thread guides of the particular knitting systems generally mounted on the plate cam posts. There are also known machines of this type in which all of the thread guides of the device are supported on a common supporting ring which is connected with a cam holder for the disc plates by means of single radial arms. In both cases, the arrangement of the thread guides has the disadvantage that the cam systems are hard to reach because of the presence of the disc plates, so that changing of the cam systems is relatively difficult.

The invention has for its object the provision of a circular knitting machine of the type indicated wherein the cam systems for the disc plate may be reached and manipulated easily. As a result, the cam systems may be quickly exchanged, whereby the efficiency of the thread guides is greatly improved.

The above object is achieved in accordance with the invention by combining the common support ring for the thread guides with the upper part of the device by means of downwardly extending connecting means, so that the common support ring is shifted when the disc plate and the appropriate cam holder are adjusted relative to the needle cylinder, but remains in its former position when the disc plate cam holder is shifted toward the needle cylinder cam holder.

This advantageous and free access to the cam systems for the disc and the above-referred to mounting of the common supporting ring for the thread guides are achieved by arranging the height-shifting installation for the disc plate and the disc plate cam holder in the upper part of the device, and by combining the supporting ring members with the adjustable mounted upper half of the device. Serving as support ring holders we have vertical rods equally distributed around the periphery of the device, the upper ends of the rods being affixed to a ring fastener which is located on the fixed part of the upper device which can be shifted as to its height.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the non-circulating height-adjusting part of the upper member is composed of at least two simple parts, one of which is firmly connected to the support ring holders and the other with the disc plate cam holders and is adjustable only in a certain limited range with then being adjusted toward the cylinder sinking point when the disc plate cam holder is shifted angularly toward the cylinder cam holder from direct sinking to retarded sinking. Thread guides supported in previously known manners could not accomplish this.

Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following description in connection with the drawings, which show more or less schematically a preferred embodiment of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view in radial axial section of the upper part of a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder and a disc plate constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of a portion of the apparatus designated in FlG.l by the reference character A; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG.2 but with the parts of the device shown therein adjusted in a manner which is different from that of FIG.2.

In FlG.l there is shown a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder 10 which rotates about a vertical axis but is fixed in height. The cylinder 10 carries a plurality of cylinder needles 12, such needles being guided by a cylinder cam carrier 11 which is fixed both axially and from rotation. The cylinder 10 is drivenby a large gear 16 affixed thereto, there being a motor (not shown) having a pinion which meshes with the gear 16. The cylinder cam carrier 11 is affixed to a fixed frame plate F, there being a plurality of columns affixed to the frame plate F and rising therefrom; one such column is shown at 19 where it serves to house a vertical drive shaft 18, to be explained. The columns support a generally horizontal upper frame plate member 26, member 26 being of disc form and disposed coaxially of the needle cylinder 10. The radially inner portion of the plate 26 is in the form of a sleeve 37 having a vertical axial bore therethrough, the sleeve 37 having a radially outwardly projecting, vertically extended boss 4 affixed thereto.

A cylinder body 23 in the form of a central shaft is journalled in the central bore in sleeve 37 and is mountedtherein for limited vertical movement with respect thereto. The sleeve 23 has a radially outwardly directed flange 24 on its lower end, such flange supporting a disc 13 which carries a plurality of radially directed rib needles 14. Needles 14 are guided radially by track means carried upon a disc plate cam carrier 15. Member 15 is carried by a stationary holder sleeve 30 which is supported upon the flange 24. The holder 30, and thus the disc plate cam carrier 15 carried thereby is held in a selected adjusted position relative to the fixed structure of the device by opposed aligned set screws 40 and 41 which are threadedly mounted in the vertical legs of angle brackets 38 and 39 secured to the member'30. It can thus be seen that the cam tracks carried by member 15 for guiding the needles 14 may either be advanced or retarded through a limited range by suitable adjustment of the setscrews 40 and 41.

The sleeve member 23 and thus the disc 13 are retated about the common axis ofthe cylinder 10 and the member 23 by the following mechanism: a pinion l7 meshes'with the large gear'l6, as shown at the lower left of FIG.1. A vertical shaft 18, carried within the hollow column 19, is journalled adjacent its upper end in a pillow block 20 fixedly mounted upon the top of the hollow column 19. The pinion 21, of the same effective diameter as pinion 17, is affixed to the upper end of the shaft 18. Pinion 21 meshes with a large gear 22 affixed to the member 23 coaxial thereof, the gear 22 having the same effective diameter as gear 16. Accordingly, the member 23 and the parts affixed thereto rotate at the same angular speed and in the same direction as the needle cylinder 10. As above-explained, the annular body 30,and the cam plate carried thereby, although supported by the flange 24 on the rotatable sleeve member 23, remain non-rotating, the member 30 being angularly adjusted relative to the fixed frame structure of the device through a limited angle, by the abovediscussed mechanism shown in detail in FIGS.2 and 3.

The needle disc 13, the rib needles 14 carried thereby, the cam plate member 15, and the thread guides of which one is shown at 31 are vertically adjusted toward and away from the needle cylinder 10 and the needles 12 carried thereby by the following mechanism. A mounting ring body 25 surrounds the upper end of the fixed sleeve member 37 and is accurately guided for vertical axial movement throughout a limited range thereon. Body 25 is retained from rotation with respect to the member 37 of the frame by a number of vertically disposed pins 25' which fit in con fronting bores in the parts 25, 37. The member 27 is formed with an upwardly open annular recess in the top thereof. Such annular recess receives an axially downwardly directed flange 46 on the gear 22, flange 46 having an outwardly directed transverse annular flange on its lower end. The members 25 and 22 are retained in abutting condition by an annular retaining member 44 affixed to member 25 and overlying the radially outwardly directed flange on the bottom of axial flange 46 on gear 22. Thus, vertical adjustment of the member 25 moves the members 22, 23, 24, and 13 in the same direction and the same amount. The pinion 21 and gear 22 have spur or axially directed teeth which permits such adjustment of the gear 22 while retaining meshing engagement between the gears 21, 22 and causing no angular movement therebetween by reason of such adjustment.

A plurality of thread guides 31 (one shown) are secured to a ring 32 which is disposed coaxial of the parts 23 and 37. Ring 32 is supported by a plurality of vertical rods 33 (one shown) disposed equally spaced angularly about the axis of the machine. The upper ends of rods 33 are guided for vertical movement in bores 33' and bosses in the frame plate 26. The upper end of each of the rods 33 is connected to a hub 34 of a radially directed arm 35 the other end of which is connected at 36 to the adjusting member 25 by means of a bolt 45 secured to the retaining member 44. Thus, the ring member 32 and the thread guides 31 supported thereon rise and fall with the adjusting member 25 and the disc 13. The member 25 is vertically adjusted by a rotatable annular adjusting member 27 disposed coaxial, of the member 25 and having a screw threaded engagement 251 between them. Member 27 is carried on the frame plate 26 by means of ball bearings 27; member 27 may thus be readily turned to adjust member 25, even though member 27 bears the weight of the members 22, 23, 13, 25, etc. Adjustment of the member 27 is accomplished by means of a shaft 28 bearing an adjusting crank, the shaft having a pinion 29 affixed thereto at its upper end, pinion 29 meshing with a gear on the periphery of the member 27. It is to be noted that the central hub or sleeve 37 of the frame plate 26 is provided with a radially thin axially depending skirt 371. Skirt 371 is received within an annular slot 301 in the upper portion of the member 30, the radially inner wall of the slot 301 having varying engagement with the radially inner confronting surface of skirt 371. The slot 301 is made with sufficient axial depth to permit the full range of vertical adjustment of the member 30 by the crank shaft 28 in the manner abovedescribed.

It will be apparent from above that when the annular body 25 is adjusted in height by the crank shaft 28, the disc plate 13, the rib needles 14 carried thereby, and the thread guides 31 are adjusted in the same direction and in the same amount relative to the needles 12 of the needle cylinder 10. When the member 30, which is otherwise non-rotatable, rotatable, is adjusted by the mechanism shown in FlGS.2 and 3 in order to secure a retarded sinking, the disc plate cam holder 15 is similarly adjusted angularly. When such sinking retarding adjustment is made, the body 25 remains fixed relative to frame plate 26, and thus the supporting ring 32 for the thread guides 31 also remains fixed.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a preferred embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. in a multi-system circular knitting machine having a non-rotating frame and a rotatable needle cylinder carrying first knitting needles and a rotatable disc plate coaxial of the needle cylinder carrying second knitting needles, first cams operatively mounted relative to said cylinder for controlling the movement of the first needles, second cams operatively mounted relative to said disc plate for controlling the movement of said second needles, the needle cylinder and the disc plate being adjustable axially toward and away from each other, said first and second cams being angularly adjustable relative to each other, thread guides operatively mounted in the knitting machine for all the systems thereof, each such guide being closely adjacent to the first and second knitting needles for directly feeding the thread thereto, and a common ring member for supporting all of the thread guides, the improvement comprising means interposed between said rotatable disc plate and said non-rotating frame for axially adjusting said cylinder and disc plate relative to each other, at least one elongated member connecting said interposed means to said ring member so that the ring member and the thread guides supported therein are axially adjusted with said disc plate as a unit relative to said cylinder, he parts being so constructed and arranged that angular adjustment of the first and the second cams relative to each other does not affect the axial position of either the disc plate or the thread guide support.

2. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, comprising means for rotating the needle cylinder and the disc plate in synchronism in the same direction.

3. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotating frame rotatably supports the needle cylinder and the disc plate, said frame having a central bearing sleeve coaxial of the needle cylinder, a central shaft joumalled in the bearing sleeve, said shaft being connected at one end to the disc plate, said means for adjusting the thread guide supporting ring 5. A circular knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the adjusting means comprises a first ring slidably mounted over the sleeve for axial movement relative thereto, means for preventing the first ring from rotation while permitting its axial reciprocation, a second ring coaxial of the first ring and mounted for rotation on the frame of the machine, the first and second rings having screw threaded engagement between them, and means for selectively rotating the second ring, whereby to axially adjust the central shaft. 

1. In a multi-system circular knitting machine having a nonrotating frame and a rotatable needle cylinder carrying first knitting needles and a rotatable disc plate coaxial of the needle cylinder carrying second knitting needles, first cams operatively mounted relative to said cylinder for controlling the movement of the first needles, second cams operatively mounted relative to said disc plate for controlling the movement of said second needles, the needle cylinder and the disc plate being adjustable axially toward and away from each other, said first and second cams being angularly adjustable relative to each other, thread guides operatively mounted in the knitting machine for all the systems thereof, each such guide being closely adjacent to the first and second knitting needles for directly feeding the thread thereto, and a common ring member for supporting all of the thread guides, the improvement comprising means interposed between said rotatable disc plate and said non-rotating frame for axially adjusting said cylinder and disc plate relative to each other, at least one elongated member connecting said interposed means to said ring member so that the ring member and the thread guides supported therein are axially adjusted with said disc plate as a unit relative to said cylinder, he parts being so constructed and arranged that angular adjustment of the first and the second cams relative to each other does not affect the axial position of either the disc plate or the thread guide support.
 2. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, comprising means for rotating the needle cylinder and the disc plate in synchronism in the same direction.
 3. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotating frame rotatably supports the needle cylinder and the disc plate, said frame having a central bearing sleeve coaxial of the needle cylinder, a central shaft journalled in the bearing sleeve, said shaft being connected at one end to the disc plate, said means for adjusting the thread guide supporting ring and the disc plate axially relative to the needle cylinder comprising adjusting means interposed between a part of the non-rotating frame and the central shaft remote from the disc plate.
 4. A circular knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the common ring member for supporting the thread guides is coaxially mounted relative to the needle cylinder, and wherein there are a plurality of elongated members which are spaced angularly around the ring member and extend through and are guided by a circuilar fixed frame plate.
 5. A circular knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the adjusting means comprises a first ring slidably mounted over the sleeve for axial movement relative thereto, means for preventing the first ring from rotation while permitting its axial reciprocation, a second ring coaxial of the first ring and mounted for rotation on the frame of the machine, the first and second rings having screw threaded engagement between them, and means for selectively rotating the second ring, whereby to axially adjust the central shaft. 